General Wellness
Are you ready for a kick-ass weekend? We sure hope you are! At Furry Weekend Atlanta we do everything we can to pack an amazing experience into four short days. Here are some general tips for how to enjoy our event in the safest and healthiest way!
The 6-2-1 rule
- This is one of the most old-school event rules in the book. The 6-2-1 rule means that everyday you should:
- Have 6 hours of sleep
- Eat 2 meals
- Take 1 shower
- Remember, these are the -minimum- amounts suggested. You’ll have an amazing con if you sleep more, have three well balanced meals, and maintain your personal hygiene.
General Hygiene - look and smell like the fine animal you are!
- Look, our event is spread out over three hotels with a ton of amazing events that will really get you moving! Make sure to follow these helpful suggestions
- Wear deodorant.
- Wash your hands anytime you use the restroom, have a high level of activity, or sweat excessively.
- Shower frequently
Fursuiters
- You’re adorable and we love having you here! Make sure that after your fursuiting session you’re sanitizing to the best of your ability. Most fursuit makers recommend using an antimicrobial spray or fabric safe disinfectant wipes This reduces the bacteria from your adorable shenanigans.
Don’t share drinks or food!
- It’s pretty common to taste a friend’s drink, snag a fry off their plate, or take a bite off their silverware. Fight the urge! Sharing saliva, even through drinks, can be a major factor in you getting sick.
Preventing Common Airborne Illnesses (Con Crud)
Con crud has been a staple of furry conventions since they began. We’re doing our best to reduce the prevalence of post-con sickness by helping educate our attendees on some of the best strategies we’ve found for keeping healthy.
IF YOU DON'T FEEL WELL
- Please, stay home.
- We understand it can be a bummer to miss a once a year event, but going out and doing anything with a cold is bound to get others sick.
- You’ll only make your cold last longer. Seriously, being sick is the only time you SHOULDNT be going out and exercising.
- If you’re sick, please reach out to registration at [email protected], we’re happy to roll over your registration to the following year!
Mask up!
- OH NO! You’ve made it to the event and have started to feel a little under the weather. If you feel like you’re starting to get sick, (even the littlest of sniffles), your chances of spreading any airborne disease reduces drastically if you’re masking around large groups of people!
- Every airborne virus is different. Different masks have different effectiveness against them. To be as safe as possible, consider wearing a surgical or N95 mask for the best protection against all airborne viruses.
- For more information on the different types and how effective they are, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/types-of-masks.html
Wash your hands
- Seriously! Keep your fingies clean! Regularly washing your hands can greatly reduce your likelihood of getting sick.
- Shower daily!
- Shower’s are one of the best, and most effective ways to keep clean and healthy throughout the event. Not only will you smell nice, but you’ll also feel refreshed and rejuvenated each day!
Eat well
- Your body, and by extension your immune system, likes to be well fed with nutritious food. Make sure you’re eating a healthy meal at least twice a day while at con
Take your vitamins
- If you don’t already, start taking multivitamins in the weeks leading up to the con, and continue to take them at con!
Food safety
- That half sandwich left sitting out on Thursday afternoon won’t be your friend Sunday morning! When in doubt, throw it out!
Illicit Substances
Furry Weekend Atlanta has a strict no illegal substances policy and we know you all are following our policy and not bringing or using illicit substances at FWA. But, if you were to do them at another event, we’ve got some recommendations on how to stay safe!
- Know who you’re getting your stuff from. Don’t buy things from someone with a big trench coat.
- If you can, get a drug testing kit. They can help you tell if what you have is real or if it has stuff in it you’re not expecting. These kits are often available free of charge from your local health department.
- Always have a babysitter! Really, have a sober friend there to hang out and watch you.
- Don’t share paraphernalia
??
- We’re not saying don’t have intimate time with people you care about, just remember you can catch con-crud through close contact and bodily fluids.
Sexual Health
Test!
- Get tested! Knowing your status will help you and your sexual partners make informed decisions. We’ve partnered with the Fulton County Department of Health to offer free, rapid STI testing during Furry Weekend Atlanta! So if you’re unsure, come get tested before you have fun.
Wear a condom
- It’s the most basic of sexual health tips, but seriously this is a huge help in staying safe!
- For our friends engaging in sexual relations that don’t involve the body parts that condoms are used for, internal condoms, dental damns, and even gloves can help keep you safe!
Talk to your doctors!!
- Talk to your doctor about your sex life! Seriously, we know it can be embarrassing, but there’s a lot of really useful medical information and medicines that doctors can prescribe to keep you healthy!
- We even have medical professionals who specialize in sexual health on location! Visit the Fulton County Board of Health, they’ll be providing 1 on 1 sexual health counseling!
Use The Potty
- Go to the bathroom after. Seriously. UTIs suck and you don’t want one.